USS Constitution by CPS_skybolt - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - scale 1:96 - As she appeared 1812 - 1815

[CPS_skybolt]

I was looking for a challenge and did I find one. This is my first online build.

[CPS_skybolt]

For the gun ports I used a 3/8" mortise chisel & bit set. I took the bit out and used a clamp to cut my way through the side of the hull. I am terrible at cutting gun ports.

[GLakie]

Always been curious about the Billings version of the Connie. I expect to start my MS version, sometime late this fall.  I'll be following along with interest.

 

Cheers 

[billt]

Nice work!  Do you have any pictures of the stern?

[CPS_skybolt]

Thanks billt. I have researched the stern during this period and never came up with an answer I was happy with. So this is what I did with the stern.

I sprayed decal paper black and covered it with a clear. Then I cut strips of this and applied them to the quarter gallery. I can't paint small stripes so I use decal paper. The canons do not have holes in the barrel and to try to drill holes in the barrels is beyond my skill and equipment . For the canons I painted decal paper grey and punched out the small disks using a bit and a drill index. Does not look like I would like it to but this is the best I could do.

Edited May 29, 2015 by CPS_skybolt

[billt]

Stern looks good too.   Isn't that the suggested stern by Blue Jacket?    I know they based the model on a lot of work by Arnot so it is probably pretty close to what you want.

 

My kit is the 1970's version that I hope to update to something close to the modern version like yours.  This will mean carving or routing out  space for the gun deck. Since on that version the gun deck guns were simply pins you pushed into the hull.  I'd prefer a built out deck like the new kit.

[CPS_skybolt]

Not really. The photos in the instruction book are dark, poor quality. I could not figure out what to do with the lower stool of the quarter gallery as they just didn't fit so I curved them under until they were flush with  the counter. Not real happy with them that way. I studied many pictures but could not come up with an answer I was satisfied with. Also, the 1812 stern view shows two windows below the transom on the counter. I will need to form them yet. I tired of the stern problems so I moved on. I wanted to work  on other parts of the model. I'll go back to the stern later on .

Edited April 23, 2015 by CPS_skybolt

[mort stoll]

I agree. The pictures in the Bluejacket build manual are horrible. Did you completely remove the quarter gallery extensions and completely rebuild it or did you follow the build manuals instructions?

 

Keep up the great work,

 

Mort

[CPS_skybolt]

I shaved the wood quarter galleries from the wood hull.  It was no help to me. The cast quarter gallery lower stool threw me for quite awhile. After much study I decided the counter was concave and not convex to fit the stool. I then glued the quarter gallery assembly to the hull and bent the stool under to fit as flush as I could to the counter.

BlueJacket says a guy who has built this model for them many times takes calls about this kit .His name is Charlie Cook at 800 336 2795 9-4 Mon thru Friday. I tried to reach him a couple times but never got a phone answer. I am going to try again as I have a part that looks like a grease gun ( a lot of them ) and have no Idea where they go. Think they are hand pumps.

 

I figured out what the grease guns are, the swivel guns for the fighting tops, LOL.

 

 NOTE July 2018 :  I just found this reference photo of the stool, see below. I do not know if this for the time period of this model. I believe the stern was rebuilt differently several times. 

 

Bob

Edited August 14, 2018 by CPS_skybolt
new reference picture

[CPS_skybolt]

Almost finished. Have to do the anchors, fighting tops guns, Ships bell and ropes on pins.

Edited September 30, 2015 by CPS_skybolt

[CPS_skybolt]

Finished. The ship looks better to me as time passes. I no longer see my mistakes. If I were to build it again I would have done a better job. That is not going to happen. It makes a beautiful model . I used a BlueJacket display case .I glassed it with acrylic sheets. It looks good, not intrusive and it was not that expensive.

Edited December 9, 2015 by CPS_skybolt

[mort stoll]

very nice. you should be very proud.

 

mort

[donrobinson]

congratulations, awesome build

[Geoff Matson]

Nice Model. You did an outstanding job!

[CPS_skybolt]

Thank you all. You are very kind.